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President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday departed Abuja for the United Kingdom to begin a two-week vacation.
The vacation is “part of his yearly leave,” Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, revealed in a statement he signed on Wednesday.
The statement is titled, ‘President Tinubu goes on annual leave.’
Onanuga said, “The President will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms.
“He will return to the country after the leave expires,” the statement read in part.
Sources close to the President confirmed that Tinubu was taking the two-week break as part of his annual leave.
Wednesday’s trip comes two weeks after the President returned from London where he met with King Charles III.
The UK becomes Tinubu’s 27th foreign destination since he assumed office about 16 months ago and his fourth trip to the country.
So far, Tinubu has visited Equatorial Guinea, London (four times), the United Kingdom (twice); Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; Pretoria, South Africa; Accra, Ghana; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice); Berlin, Germany; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Dakar, Senegal and Doha, Qatar.
Cost of Tinubu’s Presidential Trips
The frequent international trips by President Bola Tinubu have sparked debates over government waste, extravagance, and fiscal responsibility.
According to data from GovSpend by BudgIT, the Nigerian presidency has spent at least N16.06 billion on foreign currencies for these trips between June 2023 and May 2024.
The bulk of this amount, N10.93 billion, was spent on the President’s travels, with additional costs incurred by the Vice President, First Lady, Chief of Staff, and the Presidential Air Fleet.
The sharp depreciation of the naira, which has fallen by 70.3% against the dollar since May 2023, has exacerbated the cost of these trips, underscoring the need for fiscal discipline amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
Tinubu’s Frequent Travels
President Bola Tinubu’s official trip to different parts of the world, including China and France, and a subsequent private visit to London has raised eyebrows and sparked rumors among the public.
While the president’s official engagement is commendable, his decision to usually extend his stay for a private visit without giving reasons has invited speculation that it may be tied to medical reasons.
The timing of his departure, coupled with the lack of specific details surrounding the purpose of his private visit, has fueled conjecture and added fuel to the rumor mill.
These optics may inadvertently give rise to assumptions and questions regarding the president’s health, heightening the public interest and intensifying scrutiny surrounding his activities abroad.
At this pace, Tinubu could surpass his predecessors as Nigeria’s most-traveled president, a distinction many are already attributing to him.
